The UK had 100 fewer breweries in operation at the start of 2025 compared to a year ago, according to figures released this week.
Trade association The Society of Independent Brewers & Associates (SIBA) revealed that 1,715 breweries are open in the country currently, compared to 1,815 at the beginning of 2024. The drop in overall brewery numbers over the last 12 months is “much higher than in recent years”, the research noted; at the start of 2023 the total was 1,828, dropping by just eight overall to 1,815 at the start of 2024.
The SIBA UK Brewery Tracker, which considers all openings and closures to calculate the number of breweries, showed that each quarter of 2024 showed a negative net closure rate.
The association blamed “legacy Covid debt, restricted access to market via pubs and tight margins for small breweries” for the recent struggles. SIBA CEO Andy Slee said: “Given the demand for independent beer isn’t being met locally, you have to wonder whether more local beer in community pubs would help pub closure rates as well.”
Wales is the only part of the UK to where brewery numbers are in growth, albeit only by a net gain of one on the previous year.
Earlier this month, private equity business Keystone Brewing Group added another UK craft brewer to its roster as North Brewing Co moved across for an undisclosed fee. In recent years, Keystone has purchased four brewers, including Black Sheep Brewery.
